Absorbent pad



| t um 8./ A T/ N my. im 4 VM/ N m A R M v.. v... u B M l H H. R. WILLIAMS Feb. 19, 1929.

o o. Q .000.040 t. 3% oofoo o Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRISON R. WILLIAMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ABSORBENT PAD.

Application led November 20, 1928. Serial No. 149,571.

This invention relates to absorbent pads primarily intended for use as catamenial bandages and other sanitary or surgical purposes. This application is a continuation 1n 5 part of my co-pending application, Serial No.

111,390, filed May 24, 1926.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a pad so constructed that it will cause the fluid deposited thereon w'hen in use, to be absorbed by the interior of the pad without permitting it to spread substantially beyond the local area at which the fluid is applied, with the result that the remaining area in contact with the body of the wearer is l5 kept dry, soft and clean. Chafing and other irritations of the skin are thus effectively prevented.

Another important feature of the invention consists in the provision of a pad having a super-absorptive central core or layer which has the property of attracting and accumulat` ing the major portion of t-he absorbed fluid, so that the same is substantially centralized in this layer, and has little tendency to soak through the pad to the outer surfaces. By virtue of this feature the outer surfaces of the pad are retained in a subst-antially dry and soft condition, and the danger of soiling or staining the clothing of the wearer is reduced to a minimum.

In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the pad is formed by superposing a plurality of layers of absorbent material, one of which has a quantity of very highly absorbent material deposited upon its inner surface at a distance inward from its side edges. When the layers are placed face to face, this highly absorbent Inaterial forms a core ten-ding to draw the fluid inward from the top, bottom, and sides of the pad. The entire outer surface of the assembled layers isl next treated with a fiuid repellent substance to prevent spreading and absorption of the fluid on the surface. The pad is completed by wrapping a thin fabric gauze around it.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a plan view of a pad embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 isa. perspective view showing the pad with the gauze wrapping unfolded and the upper layer of the absorbent body turned back; and

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 Vtum has the property of absorbing the fluid of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The pad in its illustrated form of construction is composed of upper and lower layers 1 and 2 of readily disintegrable, highly absorbent material. lAny material may be used which is suitable for the purpose, but I prefer to use a felted pulp fiber product, such as is described and referred to in my patent application Serial N o. 111,390, filed May 24, 1926, for Vood-pulp products and the like. This product, which is best described las a fibrated wood pulp product, is very soft and fluffy and closely resembles cotton in very light condition. It may be prepared in any manner desired; one method of preparation being described in the above mentioned Acopending application. This product is very absorbent and cheap to manufacture. It disintegrates readily in water and may therefore be disposed of by flushing it down the toilet, without danger of clogging the plumbing. The upper surface of the lower layer 2 of the pad is coated withahighly absorbent material. This coating is applied in a moist condition 80 and preferably consists of potato flour, cornstarch, tapioca, deXtrine or gelatine, or the like to which 1% of alum may advantageously be added. This coating, which is 1n adhesive form, is applied to the layer in any manner, preferably by being sprayed thereon. The coated area. 3 does not extend to the side edges of the layer 2, the side margins 4 of said layer being left free of such material. The'l two layers of the pad are superposed with the adhesive coating interposed between them, causing the adjacent surfaces of such layers to adhere by reason of the drying of the coating and thereby forming a coherent core or stratum constituted of sai-d adhesive and the immediately adjacent pad material. The intervening layer binds the whole pad together and gives it adequate strength throughout. Such intermediate core or strathat enters the pad and of spreading such 4 iiuid laterally and interiorly of the pad, ratherl than permitting the same to be absorbed throughout the whole thickness of the pad adjacent the point of application.

The exterior surface of the layer assembly is next sprayed or otherwise suitably treated with a water repellent oil, such as rape-Seed oil, to reduce and localize the absorbent properties of the surface. The Oil impregnated 110 surface of the pad assembly is indicated at 5 in Figure 3. The catamenial bandage is completed by wrapping the pad in a sheet of gauze 6, such gauze providing the usual projecting ends 7 and 8 for binding or attaching purposes.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and parts of the improvements may be used without others.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a pad and a gauze wrapping therefor, said pad comprising an absorbent body having its entire surface treated with material rendering it Huid repellent but pervious.

2. In combination a pad having an absorbent body, a more absorbent core within said body, and a fluid repellent but pervious surface, and a gauze wrapping for the pad.

3. An absorbent pad comprising two readily disintegrable layers of soft, absorbent, loosely felted, short fibers, a quantity of vegetable material between said layers confined to a space removed from the side edges of the layers, said material forming a stratum having a greater attraction for liquid than the material of said layers, and means for repelling fluid from all of the exposed surfaces of said layers, but leaving said surfaces pervious.

4. An absorbent pad including a readily disintegrable body portion of soft, absorbent material and a quantity of potato flour enclosed within the body.

5. In combination an absorbent pad including a soft, absorbent body having its entire surface but no other portion treated with rape-seed oil to render the surface water repellent but pervio-us, and a gauze wrapping for the pad.

6. An absorbent pad comprising a body portion of readily disintegrable absorbent material having its entire surface treated with rape-seed oil to render the surface water repellent but pervious and a quantity of potato flour within the body portion at a distance from the top, bottom and side faces of the pad.

7. An absorbent pad comprising two separate sheets or layers of readily disintegrable absorbent material placed in superposed relation to form the pad, each layer having the contour of the finished pad, and one of the layers having a deposit of vegetable paste on the inner face adjacent the other layer thereof and forming a stratum having a greater attraction for liquid thanthe material of the layers referred to.

8. A pad comprising a body portion of a highly absorbent and readily disintegrable pulp material and a core portion therein comprisin a vegetable material, said core having a iigher capacity for attracting and absorbing fluid than said body portion whereby thei absorbed fluid is concentrated `within the pa 9. A sanitary napkin comprising an absorbent pad, having the surface intended for Contact with the body of the wearer, fluid repellant but pervious, for minimizing the spread of fluid on said surface and a gauze wrapper therefor.

10. A sanitary pad comprising absorbent and readily disintegrable material, and a starch containing core disposed intermediate the thickness of the pad.

11. A sanitary pad comprising absorbent and readily disintegrable material, and a stratum disposed intermediate the thickness of the pad, having the property of absorbing and laterally spreadingl the liquid entering said pad.

12. A sanitary pad comprising absorbent and readily disintegrable material, said pad having a core portion for laterally spreading the Huid entering said pad and retaining such fluid interiorly of the pad, and comprising a substance adhering to the adjacent portions of the pad material.

13. A sanitary pad comprising absorbent and readily disintegrable material, and a stratum disposed intermediate the thickness of the pad having the property of spreading the fluid entering said pad and causing such fluid to be absorbed' interiorly and laterally of the pad.

In testimony whereof I have axed my signature to this specication.

HARRISON R. WILLIAMS. 

